news-record.com

Office you seek
Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals

Date of birth
May 28, 1945

Occupation
Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals

Address
N.C. Court of Appeals
P.O. Box 888
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602

Committee to Re-Elect Judge McCullough
P.O. Box 664
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602

Web site/e-mail address
mhj@coa.state.nc.us
www.Re-electJudgeMcCullough.com

Education
U.N.C. (Chapel Hill) A.B. History - 1967
University of South Carolina - Law, J.D. 1970

Elective experience:
Elected - North Carolina Court of Appeals - Nov. 2000

Professional credentials (specialized training or experience)
Former Federal Prosecutor (1974-1977, 1981-1996)
Member, N.C. Sentencing Comm'n (2004-2005)
N.C. State Bar
N.C. Bar Association, member, Medico-Legal Guidelines Subcommittee

Family
Married. Wife (Lucci). Two daughters, Lauren, 26, Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay; Sarah, 33, married, technical writer in Tampa, Florida.

Why have you chosen to run for this office?
Am running for re-election.

What about your training and experience most qualifies you for this position?
I have been serving as a judge of this Court for over 7 years. I have authored over 800 opinions, signed onto over 2000 other opinions. Additionally, I have taught legal writing at UNC Law School for 2 years. I also have mediated over 28 cases in our appellate mediation program, most successfully.

What do you see as a particular strength of our court system?
The quality of the people working in the Court to ensure that it functions on behalf of all North Carolinians.

Where does it fall short?
The courts are underfunded in that we lack the personnel and technology to reach maximum efficiency.

What can be done to help the public better understand the role of our appellate courts?
An outreach or speakers' program might help some.

How can you make a distinct impact on the quality of decisions rendered by the court?
I believe my record demonstrates the quality of decisions rendered in my cases.

To what extent should judges or judicial candidates express their views about political and social issues of the day?
We cannot express any opinion on a matter that may come before the Court. As virtually every major social issue can result in lawsuits, there is very little judges should comment on.

Who would be the one current state or federal judge you most admire, and why?
Chief Justice Sarah Parker of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, as she exemplifies the attributes of an outstanding judge and a life of public service.